Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "CE3K" --- Happy 30th!

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Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 11-16-2007, 04:25 AM:

"We are not alone."

On November 16, 1977, thirty years ago today, Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" was released. In one theatre, anyway.

Using a platform release strategy, Columbia Pictures opened "Close Encounters" on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the ZIEGFELD THEATRE in New York City and two days later at the CINERAMA DOME in Los Angeles. The national release began in a couple-hundred theatres on Dec. 14.

I saw the movie at the CINEMA 70 in the Del Monte Shopping Center in Monterey, California. At the time I was a nine-year-old Army Brat (my parents were stationed at nearby Fort Ord). I slept through much of the movie but remember being awakened by the powerful musical score and overbearing sound during the film's finale. I can't say that I liked the movie at the time thinking it was rather slow and not as fun and enjoyable as "Star Wars." However, after seeing the film numerous times over the years on TV, various video formats and a few theatrical screenings, my current opinion is that I think it is a great movie and one of the best in Spielberg's illustrious career.

"Close Encounters" was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for Cinematography. In addition, it was awarded a special achievement Oscar for Sound Effects Editing. With a domestic boxoffice gross topping $100 million (in an era when $100 million defined a blockbuster), the film was the third-highest-grossing film released in 1977 ("Star Wars" and "Smokey And The Bandit" were one and two, respectively).

Among the original bookings were a couple-dozen 70-millimeter prints, most of which are identified below. These were, arguably, the best venues in which to experience the movie during that initial release.

RELEASED NOV. 16, 1977
New York, NY: Ziegfeld

RELEASED NOV. 18, 1977
Los Angeles, CA: Cinerama Dome

RELEASED DEC. 14, 1977
Belleville, IL: BAC Cinema
Bloomington, MN: Southtown
Boston, MA: Cinema 57
Calumet City, IL: River Oaks
Chicago, IL: Esquire
Costa Mesa, CA: South Coast Plaza
Denver, CO: Cooper
Evergreen, IL: Evergreen
Fort Worth, TX: Ridglea
Honolulu, HI: Waikiki 3
Houston, TX: Alabama
Houston, TX: Town and Country Village
Lakewood, CA: Lakewood Center
Little Rock, AR: Cinema 150
Livonia, MI: Mai Kai
Los Angeles, CA: Paramount (move-over from Cinerama Dome)
Louisville, KY: Showcase Cinemas
Orange, CA: Cinedome
Paramus, NJ: Route 4 Triplex
Pasadena, CA: Hastings
Philadelphia, PA: Sameric
Pittsburgh, PA: Warner
Pittsford, NY: Pittsford Triplex
Portland, OR: Eastgate
Salt Lake City, UT: Regency
San Diego, CA: Cinema 21
San Francisco, CA: Coronet
Santa Clara, CA: Cinema 150
Skokie, IL: Old Orchard
Southfield, MI: Americana
Southgate, MI: Southgate
Toledo, OH: Showcase Cinemas
West Allis, WI: Southtown

RELEASED DEC. 21, 1977
Monterey, CA: Cinema 70
Palm Springs, CA: Camelot
Portland, OR: Town Center
Santa Barbara, CA: Granada

(Since I seem to be the resident "listmaniac," maybe before the year is over, just for Mike Heenan, I'll do up a "Smokey And The Bandit" tribute and will list the venues that showed it in "Bandit Vision"! [Wink]

)

So...who else has any memories of seeing "Close Encounters" way back when? Anyone prefer one of the recut versions over the original?

Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 11-16-2007, 07:07 AM:

I saw "Close Encounters" at the Ziegfeld the following spring. Aside from SenSurround it was the first time I'd heard subwoofers in a cinema.
At the time, Radio City Music Hall was playing "Crossed Swords" in 70mm. I saw that in the morning, a 70mm revival of "South Pacific" at the Cinerama on Broadway in the afternoon and CE in 70mm at the Ziegfeld in the evening.
Bob

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-16-2007, 08:31 AM:

I saw it on it's opening weekend in RKO Stanley Warner Route 4 Triplex Paramus NJ. We waited in line for over an hour. The film opened in the "big" auditorium, which held around 1000 people. Almost every show that weekend was sold out. I liked the film, but I too thought Star Wars was better (still do).

I do like the 1980 special edition better. The original version's mental breakdown went on way too long. By the time he was playing with the mashed potatos, I had enough. Trimming the excess and adding some nice touches such as the UFO shadows across the fields improved the film greatly. This is one of the few films that I felt the directors cut was better than the original.

On the other hand, as Richard Dryfuss was boarding the ship at the end, I kept thinking of the Twilight Zone "To Serve Man"...

Just a FYI, although newspaper advertising at the time refered to the theatre as the Route 4 Triplex, at the time the complex consisted of 2 seperate buildings, and the signage refered to one as The Stanley Warner, which was the original theatre that had it's balcony walled off to make a twin, and The Route 4 Cinema which was built from the ground up years later. Each had it's own entrance, boxoffice, projection, etc.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-16-2007, 08:59 AM:

One of my favorite of all time. The opening sequence with the soundtrack orchestra building to that one bombastic chord took my breath away. The special added subs that were added (at Columbia's own cost, I was told) sure did enhance the experience; the whole theatre vibrated -- you could feel it in the pit of your stomach when the big mother ship decended.

Funny thing is, it seems like it was only a few years ago, certainly not 30, when I saw it at the Ziegfeld. It was only opened for a few weeks and I went back over and over again, dragging everyone I knew to see it. I saw it at least four times at the Zieg.

And I ran it just two weeks ago for a few friends and it still stands up incredibly well as a terrific piece of story-telling. And special effects -- hey, there are as good if not better than some of the glitzy fluff stuff today, and they got it all with nary a CGI frame to be found anywhere.

Interesting thing was, the kid in the film looked like a clone of my nephew who was about the same age at the time. He is now nearly a head taller than me.

What is really scary, is that it was 30 years ago.....it boggles the mind, this time-warp compression we are caught in.

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 11-16-2007, 11:20 AM:

I also saw it at the Zig; froze my ass off waiting on line as all shows were running about 1 hour late. I remember staring at the Burlington display while talking to friends, waiting in the cold and wind. Everyone applauded like crazy at the end of the train track scene.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 11-16-2007, 05:52 PM:

quote:

(Since I seem to be the resident "listmaniac," maybe before the year is over, just for Mike Heenan, I'll do up a "Smokey And The Bandit" tribute and will list the venues that showed it in "Bandit Vision"! [Wink] )

Bring it on, good buddy. [Big Grin]

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 11-16-2007, 06:09 PM:

I second that ya sumbitch. [thumbsup]

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 11-16-2007, 06:57 PM:

I saw it opening weekend at the Edwards South Coast Plaza in 70mm (I believe that was originally a Mann location, pretty sure it was Edwards by this time though). Sold out show, lots of anticipation, very memorable for that opening scene that Frank mentions. I'm fine with the original theatrical cut. I never liked the versions showing Dreyfuss in the mothership as much as the original cut.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 11-16-2007, 08:00 PM:

On one of the lists Michael wrote up, the South Coast Plaza was a Mann Theatre at the time of the original opening of Close Encounters.

I saw Close Encounters opening week at Pacific's Cinerama Dome and later on the move-over to the SRO's Paramount Theatre in Hollywood. Both 70MM engagements were amazing. And over the years have seen it at the Cinerama Dome and Picwood Theatres in the Special Edition version in 70MM.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 11-17-2007, 10:54 AM:

This is the film I most regret not seeing in 70mm. The first time I saw it was at the non-Dolby equipped Loews Westervile Twin. In fact, I've never seen the film in stereo in any theatre.

The final part of that film, from the reveal of the mothership to the end, is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in a theatre. My one critique is that much too long mashed potato scene.

Those were the days when special effects were really special, since they were all in some way mechanical. Computer imagery takes a lot of the magic out of cinema.

Posted by Robert W. Jones (Member # 4228) on 11-17-2007, 05:45 PM:

I didn't see a run in Phoenix, AZ on the list, but I did see it at the Metrocenter Cinema (3-plex?) when it was release. I prefer the director's cut with the added opening scenes (Mongolian ship).

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 11-18-2007, 12:30 AM:

Michael,

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3rd KIND did play it;s opening engagement at the Waikiki #3 in Honolulu but in 35mm and not 70mm. Because of that, I was fortunate to see it in 70mm at the Coronet Theatre in San Francisco on my way home from another photographic conference. The film did play in 70mm in Honolulu when it was moved over to the Waikiki #2 about two weeks later.

By the way, I just purchased the new three disc set of the movie featuring the original version, the special edition and the director's cut on DVD and what little I saw looked and sounded great!

-Claude

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-18-2007, 10:49 AM:

quote: Michael Coate
Houston, TX: Town and Country Village

All info I've found on the Town and Country Village says it didn't exist until the early 80s.

I think they probably just put a typo and it's a "Town and Country Village" for some other city.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 11-18-2007, 04:46 PM:

quote: Chris Slycord
All info I've found on the Town and Country Village says it didn't exist until the early 80s.

I think they probably just put a typo and it's a "Town and Country Village" for some other city.

Chris,

I did that "CE3K" research a few years ago, but after reading your post I pulled my original notes, trade articles, newspaper ad photocopies, etc. to double check. And, indeed, one of the movie's Houston bookings was at the TOWN & COUNTRY. It was a 3-screener at the time and operated by Loews.

So...it's not a typo. Why do you believe the theater in question opened in the '80s? What's your source(s)?

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-18-2007, 05:24 PM:

I'm guessing the mall must've been built after the theater then.

edit:
My reasoning was that all info I saw referred to the name Town & Country being used due to being nearby the Town & Country Mall which was built in the early 80s. And the Town & Country Village (strip mall) was built around the same time as the mall.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 11-18-2007, 05:50 PM:

quote: Robert W. Jones
I didn't see a run in Phoenix, AZ on the list

I didn't list any Phoenix engagements because the movie did not play in 70mm in that market (not first-run, anyway).

Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 11-19-2007, 01:38 AM:

Here's Mike's CE3K list

Is CE3K re-released in cinemas?

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-19-2007, 01:52 AM:

Yep..remembering putting together the print for CE3K and sneaking it that night for the bunch of us that mid December of 1977 (can't remember the actual release date though..) for the UA Cinemas 4 in my home town (funny, I was the chief projectionist for a MANN theatre, yet, would do film builds for UA Cinemas ..lol) while I was wrapping up my 6 month engagement of "Star Wars" at our local MANN theatre.

I did managed to tag CE3K at the Regency in SLC in 70mm that next month on a visit.

-Monte

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 11-30-2007, 09:09 PM:

While hunting around a Barnes & Noble for something to bring with me on my latest road trip, I spotted a new book on the making of "Close Encounters," published to coincide with the film's 30th anniversary. I haven't spotted any errors yet. [Wink]

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: The Making Of Steven Spielberg's Classic Film was written by Ray Morton, author of King Kong: The History Of A Movie Icon From Fay Wray To Peter Jackson (2005).

Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 12-03-2007, 08:40 AM:

Does anyone know if CE3K re-released in cinemas?

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-03-2007, 09:05 AM:

Chauvel Cinema in Sydney ran it last week. Not sure it counts as a 're-release' though.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 12-03-2007, 01:51 PM:

Bob Balaban's book of his memoirs during the production is a very good read. "Spielberg, Truffaut & Me: An Actor's Diary"

Link

[ 01-01-2008, 02:01 AM: Message edited by: Adam Martin ]

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 12-31-2007, 11:17 PM:

I thought I'd revive this 30th anniversary tribute thread since today is the last day to celebrate the film in its anniversary year. Plus, I have all this data compiled and nowhere to showcase it. So...enjoy the flashback!

RELEASED NOVEMBER 16, 1977
New York: Ziegfeld 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo

RELEASED NOVEMBER 18, 1977
Los Angeles: Cinerama Dome 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo

For the film's general release, which began during the week of December 14, 1977, Columbia Pictures targeted 269 theaters primarily in major markets. Another 301 bookings began one week later. The majority of these original December-initiated engagements are noted below. (The small-market bookings, move-overs, second-run, international, etc. that began/took place during the early months of 1978 have not been included.)

Before I get to the list, though, I thought I'd share an interesting bit regarding the booking terms:

quote: the new book "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: The Making Of Steven Spielberg's Classic Film"
Each theater was required to play the film for a minimum of twelve weeks and to guarantee the studio a specific financial return (the amount varied by the theater and market). This guarantee would be taken from the theater's box office gross, which (minus house expenses) would be split ninety-ten in Columbia's favor until the promised amount was paid off (the formula would be incrementally adjusted in the theater's favor after that). Each theater was required to spend $1,000 per week to advertise the film in its market for the first four weeks of the engagement, and two hundred theaters had to agree to install the Dolby Stereo Sound System at a cost of $4,000 per theater.

ALABAMA
Anniston: Plaza Cinemas III
Birmingham: Roebuck Plaza Dolby Stereo
Huntsville: Trans-Lux Twin
Mobile: Capri
Montgomery: Eastmont 1 & 2
Tuscaloosa: Fox 1 & 2

ALBERTA
Calgary: North Hill
Calgary: Uptown 1 & 2
Edmonton: Meadowlark
Edmonton: Odeon 1 & 2

ARIZONA
Phoenix: Metro Center Cinema I-II-III
Phoenix: Thomas Mall
Tucson: Buena Vista 1 & 2
Yuma: Plaza 1-2-3

ARKANSAS
Fayetteville: Razorback Twin Dolby Stereo
Fort Smith: Malco Mall Dolby Stereo
Jonesboro: Malco Twin Dolby Stereo
Little Rock: Cinema 150 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo

BRITISH COLUMBIA
New Westminster: Odeon New West
Vancouver: Vogue Dolby Stereo
Victoria: Odeon 1 & 2

CALIFORNIA
Bakersfield: Stockdale 6
Berkeley: UA Cinema
Corte Madera: Cinema I
Costa Mesa: South Coast Plaza 3 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Davis: Cinema
El Centro: Fox
Escondido: Vineyard Twin
Eureka: State 3 Dolby Stereo
Fairfield: Fairfield Dolby Stereo
Fresno: UA Movies
Hayward: Southland Cinema 1-2-3
La Mirada: La Mirada 4
Lakewood: Lakewood Center 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Livermore: Vine
Los Angeles (Hollywood): Paramount (move-over from Cinerama Dome) 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Los Angeles (Sherman Oaks): La Reina
Los Angeles (Westwood): Crest Dolby Stereo
Los Angeles (Woodland Hills): Cinema I-II-III
Menlo Park: Guild
Merced: Regency
Millbrae: Millbrae
Modesto: Briggsmore Dolby Stereo
Montclair: Montclair Plaza Cinema I-II-III
Monterey: Cinema 70 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Oceanside: Camino Cinema IV
Orange: Cinedome 6 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Oxnard: Carriage Square
Palm Springs: Camelot 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount: Rosecrans Drive-In
Pasadena: Hastings 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Pleasant Hill: Century 21
Redding: Showcase
Redondo Beach: South Bay Cinema I-II-III-IV
Sacramento: Sacramento Inn Cinema I-II-III
Salinas: Northridge IV Dolby Stereo
San Diego: Cinema 21 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
San Francisco: Coronet 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
San Luis Obispo: Fremont
Santa Barbara: Granada 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Santa Clara: Cinema 150 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Santa Cruz: Rio
Santa Maria: Peppertree Plaza
Santa Rosa: Coddingtown Dolby Stereo
South Lake Tahoe: Stateline Dolby Stereo
Stockton: Sherwood
West Covina: Eastland Dolby Stereo
Woodland: State Dolby Stereo

COLORADO
Boulder: Village Dolby Stereo
Colorado Springs: Cinema 150
Denver: Cooper 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Fort Collins: Campus West
Grand Junction: Cooper
Greeley: Cooper
Pueblo: Cooper

CONNECTICUT
Danbury: Cinema I & II
Groton: Groton Cinemas 1 & 2
Manchester: East 1-2-3
Orange: Showcase Cinemas
Stamford: Ridgeway
Torrington: Warner
Trumbull: UA Trumbull
Uncasville: Liberty Dolby Stereo
Waterbury: Naugatuck Valley Mall Cinema I-II-III-IV
West Hartford: Elm
Westport: Fine Arts

DELAWARE
Claymont: Eric 3 Tri-State Mall
Dover: Dover

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington: K-B Cinema Dolby Stereo

FLORIDA
Clearwater: Sunshine Mall
Daytona Beach: Bellair Plaza
Fort Lauderdale: Coral Ridge Dolby Stereo
Fort Myers: Mall
Gainesville: Center Twin
Jacksonville: Regency 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Lauderhill: 16th Street
Mary Esther: Santa Rosa Cinema III
North Miami Beach: 163rd Street Dolby Stereo
Ocala: Springs
Orlando: Park West Dolby Stereo
Pensacola: Plaza 1 & 2
Saint Petersburg: Plaza I & II
Sarasota: Plaza I & II
South Miami: Dadeland Twin Dolby Stereo
Tallahassee: Varsity Twin Dolby Stereo
Tampa: Hillsboro 1 & 2
West Palm Beach: Plaza I & II Dolby Stereo

GEORGIA
Albany: Mall Twin
Athens: Weis Cinemas
Atlanta: Phipps Plaza Penthouse Dolby Stereo
Augusta: National Hills
Columbus: Plaza 1 & 2
Jonesboro: Arrowhead Dolby Stereo
Savannah: Terrace 1 & 2
Smyrna: Akers Mill Square
Stone Mountain: Stonemont Dolby Stereo

HAWAII
Honolulu: Waikiki 3

IDAHO
Boise: Fairvu
Idaho Falls: Cinema 4
Pocatello: Crest

ILLINOIS
Aurora: Fox Valley 1-2-3-4 Dolby Stereo
Belleville: BAC Cinema 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Bloomington: Castle Dolby Stereo
Calumet City: River Oaks 1-2-3 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Carbondale: Varsity Dolby Stereo
Carpentersville: Meadowdale Cinema I-II-III-IV
Champaign: Co-Ed I & II Dolby Stereo
Cherry Valley: CherryVale 1-2-3
Chicago: Esquire 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Crystal Lake: Showplace I-II-III Dolby Stereo
Danville: Fischer Dolby Stereo
De Kalb: Carroll
Decatur: Lincoln Dolby Stereo
Evergreen: Evergreen 1 & 2 70mm Six-Track Stereo
Joliet: Hillcrest
Kankakee: Paramount
La Salle: Majestic Dolby Stereo
Lombard: Yorktown Cinema I-II-III-IV
Marion: Town & Country
Norridge: Norridge 1-2-3-4
Orland Park: Orland Square 1-2-3-4
Peoria: Madison
Quincy: Town & Country
Schaumburg: Woodfield 1-2
Skokie: Old Orchard 70mm Six-Track Stereo
Springfield: White Oaks Mall
Waukegan: Lakehurst

INDIANA
Anderson: Mounds Mall Cinema I & II
Bloomington: Von Lee Dolby Stereo
Columbus: Columbus Center Twin Dolby Stereo
Elkhart: Concord Mall Cinema 1 & 2
Evansville: Northpark I & II Dolby Stereo
Fort Wayne: Holiday I & II Dolby Stereo
Indianapolis: Carlyle Dolby Stereo
Indianapolis: Georgetown Dolby Stereo
Merrillville: Crossroads
Michigan City: Marquette 1-2
Muncie: Northwest Plaza Cinema I & II
Richmond: Sidewalk Dolby Stereo
South Bend: Town & Country 1 & 2
Terre Haute: Honey Creek Cinema I-II-III
West Lafayette: Cinema West

IOWA
Cedar Rapids: World
Davenport: Northpark Cinema I & II
Des Moines: River Hills Dolby Stereo
Dubuque: Kennedy Mall Cinema I & II
Sioux City: Riviera 1 & 2
Waterloo: Crossroads 1 & 2

KANSAS
Lawrence: Varsity
Manhattan: Campus
Overland Park: Glenwood I & II Dolby Stereo
Salina: Vogue
Topeka: Topeka Boulevard Cinema I & II
Wichita: Twin Lakes Dolby Stereo

KENTUCKY
Florence: Florence Cinemas Dolby Stereo
Lexington: Turfland Mall Cinema I & II
Louisville: Showcase Cinemas 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Owensboro: Malco
Paducah: Columbia

LOUISIANA
Alexandria: MacArthur Village
Baton Rouge: Bon Marche 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Metairie: Lakeside Cinemas Dolby Stereo
Monroe: Plaza
Shreveport: Quail Creek

MAINE
Augusta: Turnpike Mall Cinemas
Brunswick: Brunswick Cinema I & II
South Portland: Maine Mall Cinema I-II-III
Waterville: Cinema Center

MANITOBA
Winnipeg: Odeon

MARYLAND
Annapolis: Circle
Baltimore: Security Mall
Bel Air: Campus Hill I & II
Frederick: Holiday
Hagerstown: Long Meadow Twin
Harundale: Harundale Mall I & II
Marlow Heights: Marlow
New Carrollton: New Carrollton
Towson: York Road

MASSACHUSETTS
Boston: Cinema 57 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Braintree: Braintree Cinema I-II-III-IV
Brockton: Brockton Cinema I-II-III-IV-V
Brookline: Chestnut Hill Cinema I & II Dolby Stereo
Danvers: Cinema City Dolby Stereo
Framngham: Framngham Cinema I-II-III-IV-V
Hyannis: Cape Cod Mall Cinema Centre Dolby Stereo
Leominster: Leominster Cinemas
North Dartmouth: North Dartmouth Mall
Pittsfield: Capitol
Swansea: Swansea Mall 4
West Springfield: Palace Twin Dolby Stereo
Woburn: Showcase Cinemas Dolby Stereo
Worcester: Showcase Cinemas

MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor: Fox Village
Battle Creek: West Columbia
Burton: Eastland Mall
Grand Rapids: Northtown 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Grosse Pointe Woods: Woods
Jackson: Westwood Cinema 1 & 2
Kalamazoo: West Main
Kochville: Tri-City Quad
Lansing: Mall
Livonia: Mai Kai 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Pontiac: Pontiac Mall
Roseville: Macomb Mall Cinema I & II
Southfield: Americana Complex 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Southgate: Southgate 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo

MINNESOTA
Bloomington: Southtown 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Brooklyn Center: Brookdale East
Minneapolis: Orpheum
Rochester: Oakview
Roseville: Har-Mar 1 & 2

MISSISSIPPI
Biloxi: Edgewater Plaza
Columbus: Malco Mall Dolby Stereo
Greenville: Plaza
Jackson: Ellis Isle
Meridian: College Park
Tupelo: Tupelo Twin

MISSOURI
Columbia: Cinema
Joplin: Eastgate 1-2-3
Richmond Heights: Esquire 4
Saint Ann: Northwest Plaza I & II
Saint Joseph: Trail
Sappington: Mark Twain Dolby Stereo
Springfield: Century 21

MONTANA
Billings: Fox
Great Falls: Fox

NEBRASKA
Grand Island: Conestoga 4
Lincoln: Cooper Lincoln
Omaha: Indian Hills Dolby Stereo

NEVADA
Las Vegas: Parkway 3
Reno: Cinema

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Bedford: Bedford Mall
Concord: Cinema 93
Keene: Plaza Twin
Nashua: Nashua Mall Cinema I & II
Portsmouth: Jerry Lewis Cinemas
Salem: Tri-Cinema Dolby Stereo

NEW JERSEY
Asbury Park: Seaview Square
Bloomfield: Royal
Bricktown: Mall
Clifton: Clifton Dolby Stereo
East Brunswick: Route 18 Twin
Edison: Menlo Park Twin
Fort Lee: Linwood
Hackettstown: Mall
Hanover: Morris County Mall Twin
Jersey City: Jersey City Triplex
Lawrenceville: Eric Twin Lawrenceville
Moorestown: Eric Plaza
Oakland: Oakland Twin
Paramus: Stanley-Warner Route 4 Triplex 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Raritan: Sommerville Circle Twin
Red Bank: Movies
Ridgewood: Warner
Secaucus: Harmon Cove Quad
Toms River: Ocean County Mall
Totowa: Totowa Twin
Union: Union
West Orange: Essex Green

NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque: The Mall
Santa Fe: Lensic

NEW YORK
Amherst: Boulevard Mall Cinema I-II-III
Bay Shore: South Shore Mall
Binghamton: Crest
Brockport: Strand
Cedarhurst: Central Dolby Stereo
Cheektowaga: Holiday 6 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Commack: RKO Twin Dolby Stereo
DeWitt: Cinema East
Hartsdale: Cinema I-II-III Dolby Stereo
Hudson: Hudson Studio
Hyde Park: Roosevelt
Kingston: Mayfair
Latham: Towne
Levittown: Nassau Quad
Merrick: Merrick
Middletown: Plaza
Mount Kisco: Mt. Kisco I & II
New City: Cinema 304
New Rochelle: Proctors Quad
New York (Bronx): Paradise Triplex
New York (Bronx): Riverdale
New York (Brooklyn): Georgetowne Twin
New York (Brooklyn): Kenmore
New York (Brooklyn): Oriental Twin
New York (Queens): Bay Terrace
New York (Queens): Elmwood
New York (Staten Island): Hylan
Newburgh: Mid Valley
Olean: Mall
Orangeburg: Orangeburg
Patchogue: Patchogue
Peekskill: Westchester Mall Triplex
Pittsford: Loews 3 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Roslyn: Roslyn Dolby Stereo
Stony Brook: Stoneybrook Twin
Yonkers: Movieland Dolby Stereo

NORTH CAROLINA
Asheville: Merrimon Twin Dolby Stereo
Chapel Hill: Carolina Twin
Charlotte: Park Terrace 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Concord: Carolina Mall I-II-III
Fayetteville: Cardinal 1 & 2
Gastonia: Village
Goldsboro: Cinema Twin
Greensboro: Terrace 1 & 2
Greenville: Plaza Cinema 1 & 2
Hickory: Terrace 1 & 2
High Point: Towne Twin
Jacksonville: Brynn Marr Twin
Monroe: Village I & II
New Bern: Cinema
Raleigh: Cardinal 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Shelby: Rogers
Wilmington: Oleander Cinemas 1 & 2
Winston-Salem: Hanes Mall Cinema I-II-III-IV

NORTH DAKOTA
Bismarck: Kirkwood Plaza
Fargo: Cinema 70
Grand Forks: Plaza 1 & 2

NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax: ?

OHIO
Akron: Chapel Hill Cinema I-II-III
Akron: Rolling Acres Mall
Canton: Imperial Dolby Stereo
Cincinnati: Carousel Cinemas 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Cleveland: Yorktown I & II
Dayton: Dayton Mall Cinemas Dolby Stereo
Elyria: Midway Mall Twin
Lima: American Mall Cinema I & II
Mentor: Great Lakes Mall I & II
Niles: Eastwood 1 & 2
Richmond Heights: East I & II
Rocky River: West I & II
Springfield: Upper Valley Mall
Toledo: Showcase Cinemas 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
University Heights: Cedar Center
Westerville: Westerville
Whitehall: Town & Country
Youngstown: Newport

OKLAHOMA
Lawton: Video Twin
Oklahoma City: Shepherd Twin
Tulsa: Southroads Mall

ONTARIO
Hamilton: ?
Kitchener: Lyric
London: ?
Oshawa: ?
Ottawa: St. Laurent I & II Dolby Stereo
Saint Catharines: ?
Thunder Bay: Victoria
Toronto: Don Mills
Toronto: Humber I & II
Toronto: York I & II Dolby Stereo

OREGON
Bend: Bend Cinemas Dolby Stereo
Corvallis: Cinema World Dolby Stereo
Eugene: ?
Medford: Cinema Center
Portland: Eastgate 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Portland: Town Center 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Salem: Elsinore Dolby Stereo

PENNSYLVANIA
Altoona: Park Hills
Bethlehem: Boyd Dolby Stereo
Camp Hill: Capital City Mall
Easton: Eric Twin Easton
Erie: Millcreek Mall
Feasterville: Eric Feasterville
Glenolden: Eric Twin MacDade Mall
Greensburg: Greengate Mall Cinema I-II-III
Johnstown: Westwood Plaza
King of Prussia: Plaza
Lancaster: Eric Twin Lancaster
Langhorne: Lincoln Plaza Twin
Monaca: Beaver Valley Mall Cinema I-II-III
Montgomery: Eric 3 Montgomeryville
Philadelphia: Eric Twin Ivy Ridge
Philadelphia: Sameric 70mm Six-Track Stereo
Pittsburgh: Warner 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Reading: Berkshire Mall
Scranton: Viewmont Mall Cinema I-II-III
State College: Movies
Whitehall: Lehigh Valley Mall Cinema I-II-III
Wilkes-Barre: Wyoming Valley Mall Cinema Center
York: York Twin

QUEBEC
Montreal: Atwater I & II Dolby Stereo
Montreal: Decarie Square I & II
Westmount: Place Alexis Nihon

RHODE ISLAND
Lincoln: Lincoln Mall
Middletown: Starcase Cinemas I-II-III
Warwick: Warwick Mall

SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston: Terrace
Columbia: Jefferson Square Dolby Stereo
Easley: Easley Mall 1 & 2
Florence: Crown
Greenville: Camelot 1 & 2
Spartanburg: Hillcrest

SOUTH DAKOTA
Sioux Falls: Plaza 1 & 2

TENNESSEE
Chattanooga: Eastgate 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Columbia: Cinema Twin
Goodletsville: Cinema 4 North
Jackson: Paramount
Johnson City: Mall
Kingsport: Fort Henry 5
Knoxville: Cedar Bluff 1 & 2
Memphis: Park
Nashville: Cinema 4 South

TEXAS
Abilene: Westgate Twin
Amarillo: Cinema 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo
Arlington: Six Flags Mall I & II
Austin: Capitol Plaza
Baytown: Bay Plaza 1 & 2
Beaumont: ?
Brownsville: Northpark Plaza Cinema 1 & 2
College Station: Interstate
Corpus Christi: National I & II
Dallas: Medallion Dolby Stereo
Denton: Cinema
El Paso: Northgate Dolby Stereo
Fort Worth: Ridglea 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Galveston: Galvez Plaza Cinemas I-II-III
Houston: Alabama 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Houston: Almeda 9 West
Houston: Saks Center Dolby Stereo
Houston: Town & Country Village 3 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Killeen: Northside Village Cinema I & II
Lake Jackson: Lake I & II
Laredo: Cinema del Norte 4
Longview: Cargill Triplex
Lubbock: ?
Odessa: Winwood
Port Arthur: Park Plaza Twin
Richardson: Promenade I & II
San Angelo: Cinema 1 & 2
San Antonio: Century 6 South Dolby Stereo
San Antonio: Northwest Six Dolby Stereo
Sherman: Cinema 1 & 2
Sugar Land: Palms
Tyler: Cinema 1 & 2
Waco: Cinema Twin Dolby Stereo
Wichita Falls: Cinema 1 & 2

UTAH
Ogden: Wilshire 3
Orem: University I & II
Salt Lake City: Regency 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo

VERMONT
Burlington: Plaza Twin
Rutland: Movies

VIRGINIA
Baileys Crossroads: K-B Cinema 7
Bristol: Bristol Mall 4
Charlottesville: Terrace 1 & 2
Danville: Riverside 1 & 2
Richmond: Ridge Cinema 4
Springfield: Springfield Cinema I
Virginia Beach: Pembroke 1 & 2 Dolby Stereo

WASHINGTON
Everett: Everett Mall Cinema I-II-III
Seattle: King Dolby Stereo
Spokane: UA Cinemas
Tacoma: Villa Plaza
Union Gap: Mercy Twin Dolby Stereo

WEST VIRGINIA
Charleston: Virginian
Huntington: Cinema Dolby Stereo
Morgantown: Warner
Wheeling: Court

WISCONSIN
Appleton: Marc I & II Dolby Stereo
Beloit: Majestic Dolby Stereo
Eau Claire: State
Fond du Lac: Retlaw
Green Bay: Bay Dolby Stereo
Kenosha: Lake Dolby Stereo
La Crosse: ?
Madison: Orpheum Dolby Stereo
Manitowoc: Strand Dolby Stereo
Milwaukee: Movies Northridge
Oshkosh: Cinema One
Racine: Rapids Plaza Dolby Stereo
Sheboygan: Marc I & II
Stevens Point: Campus I & II Dolby Stereo
Superior: Palace
West Allis: Southtown Cinemas 1-2-3 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo

WYOMING
Casper: Rialto

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE DATES
02/24/78 … France
02/24/78 … Greece
02/24/78 … Sweden
02/25/78 … Japan
02/27/78 … Brazil
02/28/78 … Norway
02/30/78 … Belgium
03/03/78 … Denmark
03/03/78 … Finland
03/03/78 … Italy
03/03/78 … Spain
03/03/78 … Switzerland
03/05/78 … West Germany
03/09/78 … Argentina
03/09/78 … Hong Kong
03/13/78 … Netherlands
03/13/78 … United Kingdom
03/16/78 … Australia
03/16/78 … New Zealand
06/30/78 … Mexico
06/30/78 … Venezuela
07/06/78 … Puerto Rico

EDIT: List updated; added bookings and clarified locations.

[ 01-17-2008, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: Michael Coate ]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-01-2008, 01:17 AM:

(and sad, both UTAH locations are now long gone - the Wilshire and the Regency..)

Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 01-01-2008, 05:18 PM:

It's playing at the Arclight on 1/21, and in Berkeley on 4/24 if anyone is interested.

I caught it a few years ago at the (sadly closed) Metro in SF as part of Columbia's 75th Anniversary. They had a new print of Spielberg's latest cut, which uses most of the stuff from the Special Edition but omits the lame inside-the-mothership shots. It really held up, for me.

CE3K Screenings

Jonesy

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-01-2008, 06:15 PM:

quote: Geoff Jones
It's playing at the Arclight on 1/21

quote: Geoff Jones' website
01/21 Arclight Hollywood, Hollywood, CA

There are now two ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles...one in Hollywood, one in Sherman Oaks. The Jan. 21 screening of "Close Encounters" is scheduled for the venue in Sherman Oaks.

Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 01-02-2008, 01:08 AM:

D'oh- Thanks for the correction!

Jonesy

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-03-2008, 10:11 PM:

quote: Michael Coate
Springfield: Springfield Mall Cinema I-II-III-IV

Help! I may have goofed on this Springfield, VA entry.

Anyone familiar with the greater Washington, DC area and the Sringfield theaters? Steve Guttag? Blaine Young? Anyone?

My question: Was the SPRINGFIELD CINEMA and the SPRINGFIELD MALL separate venues, or are/were they one and the same?

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 01-04-2008, 10:47 AM:

It was a GCC location. As in some of their earlier locations, they would add extra screens by building another building in the complex or parking lot. In 1980 that location became Springfield Mall Cinema I,II,III,IV,V & VI.
One local example in Los Angeles would be the GCC South Bay Cinemas. It started as a single and then they added a second building. They twinned the original single, then twinned the large second building and they built a another building across a parking lot and tri-plexed the original single. For three buildings and then they built a all new plex nearby.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-05-2008, 06:18 PM:

Bill, thanks for trying, but I'm not sure you actually answered the question! Allow me to rephrase my original question:

How shall I word the Springfield entry on my "Close Encounters" list?

The reason I pointed out that I may have goofed on the way I identified the venue on my list is because the film's Washington Post newspaper display ad lists it as "Springfield Cinema I," which I initially assumed was the mall theater. But in the newspaper's alphabetical DC/Maryland/Virginia Theater Directory, there's one "box" for "Springfield Cinema I" followed by a separate box for "Springfield Mall I-II-III-IV." ("CE3K" is listed under the "Springfield Cinema I" box; four different movies are listed under the mall entry.)

The paper also lists different addresses. "Springfield Cinema I" is listed as 7639 Old Keene Road; "Springfield Mall 4" is listed as, simply, I-95.

So is it possible the "Springfield Cinema I" shared the same property as the 4-plex, collectivelly making it a five-screen complex?

[ 01-05-2008, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Michael Coate ]

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 01-07-2008, 10:36 AM:

It could if it was a GCC location of that era.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-07-2008, 10:56 AM:

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!!

I'm interested in facts, not speculation. Never mind...sheesh!

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 01-07-2008, 12:24 PM:

But thats the way Fucking GCC built in that era. So if you have a problem with that, then go to the location and look for your self.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 01-07-2008, 06:31 PM:

I pulled up the Google Map for the Old Keene Mill Road address and Springfield Mall. The Keene Mill address is about 1 mile west of the mall on route 644. Sure looks like 2 different locations to me.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 01-07-2008, 10:01 PM:

quote: Bill Gabel
One local example in Los Angeles would be the GCC South Bay Cinemas. It started as a single and then they added a second building. They twinned the original single, then twinned the large second building and they built a another building across a parking lot and tri-plexed the original single. For three buildings and then they built a all new plex nearby.

Just for the sake of clarification, the first South Bay single theatre was a State-Wide Theatre. It was under Loew's (which took over Statewide SoCal locations in 1967) that the second and third buildings were built (all three contained single screens). All GCC did was to subdivide two of the three buildings (one twin, one triplex, and the other left to its original size).

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-08-2008, 07:57 PM:

quote: Bill Gabel
But thats the way Fucking GCC built in that era. So if you have a problem with that, then go to the location and look for your self.

Bill, I'm sorry I lashed out at you. But I hope you can see why I had issues with your posts. I appreciate your attempt to help, but it was apparent that you had no firsthand knowledge of the situation and that you used faulty reasoning to draw your conclusion.

I have a love-hate relationship with sites like MapQuest, Cinema Tour and Cinema Treasures for settling matters like this because in my experience too much of their information is not definitive. Which is why I threw out my question here knowing a few film-tech members live(d) or work(ed) in the area in question, although I'm surprised none of the people I'm thinking of chimed in. Steve G., you out there? Blaine? Heck, I think even Bobby H. mentioned at some point having attended the mall theater. (Of course, I'm also wary of memory, but that doesn't preclude me from posing a question and proceeding cautiously.)

Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 01-09-2008, 09:29 AM:

Okay, so originally, GCC in Springfield Mall was 2 theaters, at Entrance 2. Screen 1 had a pair of JJ's with 70mm Capabilities. When the mall expanded and added Entrance 5, they built Cinemas 3&4. Later, an expansion of that entrance allowed them to tack on Theaters 5&6. Many years later - about 1987-88, they remodeled another section of the mall and built a food court. As part of that remodel, they built 4 new screens, labeled 7-10. The theater ran in this configuration for a while, until they closed the original 1&2 for a remodel. That remodel essentially consisted of gutting the lobby/concession stand area, digging out 3 stories underneath the theater and building 4 new small screens (125-200 seats) underneath the old 1&2. Once this opened, they closed the original 3-6. Now it's been 13 years since I was there, and GCC is gone and AMC now has this location. I believe it is still the same configuration. Hopefully they added Digital Sound to the screens. When I left, only 6 were Stereo. Screen 1 was a CP100 with THX, 2 was a CP50, 7-10 were CP55 and Screen 8 also had DTS.

The location listed as "Springfield Cinema" was a single screen run by Neighborhood Theaters. It was a huge screen and I always enjoyed going there. Alas, at some point it fell victim to the infamous twin syndrome and they remodeled it to become a Twin. That had to have been in the early 80s, but I can't put my memory around when that occurred. When it "Twinned" it became Springfield Cinema I & II.

Long story short, at the time that Close Encounters played there at it's original engagement, it played at the Springfield Cinema which was a single screen. They were separate and distinct.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 01-10-2008, 07:31 PM:

quote: Mark Lensenmayer
Sure looks like 2 different locations to me.

quote: Blaine Young
Long story short, at the time that Close Encounters played there at it's original engagement, it played at the Springfield Cinema which was a single screen. They were separate and distinct.

I suspected it wasn't the mall theater. Thank you!

List has been updated. (I also added entries for a couple dozen additional bookings.)

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 01-11-2008, 03:16 PM:

quote: Michael Coate
Bill, I'm sorry I lashed out at you

No problem, Mike [beer]